Economic reforms are more needed at the moment, said Finance Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed. According to him, these reforms will not be difficult if procedural laws and regulations are used properly.
The advisor said this at a meeting organized at the conference room of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Sunday (January 26) on the occasion of International Customs Day. According to him, these reforms will not be difficult if procedural laws and regulations are used properly.
During the change of power, the interim government has formed a commission to reform several institutions, including the Election Commission and the police. However, no commission has been formed for economic reforms. Economists have demanded the formation of such a commission.
Regarding economic reforms, the advisor said, “We are talking a lot about reforms. I think the most urgent thing at the moment is economic reforms. If we cannot do that, economic reforms will be difficult, but easy. The difficult thing is that there are many fundamental laws and regulations here.” But if the procedural laws and regulations are used properly, fairly and transparently, this reform will not be very difficult. We need to understand this. There is a system, but we are not using the system properly.
Stating that the country is on the right track in revenue collection and revenue management, he said, “We are fairly ahead. We are lagging behind in terms of technology and process. We have to enter the modern era.”
Stating that revenue collection and spending are challenging at this time, he said, “It will not be right to spend the expenditure indiscriminately. We have to rationalize both our revenue income and expenditure. This is everyone’s aspiration.”
Addressing the officials, the advisor said, “Help us collect revenue. Money cannot be collected by force.”
Addressing journalists, he said, “Look at us with a positive perspective. Everything is bad in Bangladesh, everything is good. This is not happening, that is not happening, the price of onion has decreased, the price of potato has decreased, the price of rice has increased a lot. We have not seen this in any country in the world where the price of all things has decreased together.” We do not expect that the prices of all things will increase together. However, this is exactly what is causing some hardship to the people. The prices of goods are not within the purchasing power of many.
At the event, NBR member Hossain Ahmed, member (Customs: Policy and ICT), presented the keynote speech. In it, he said that in the future, Bangladesh Customs will provide automated services without the physical presence of stakeholders. The use of technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning will further ensure risk management and other decision-making processes.
At the event, FBCCI Administrator Md. Hafizur Rahman said that it is better to take the opinions of traders before increasing VAT and taxes or before making a decision on this matter. If traders have the opportunity to speak, they can become partners in tax collection.
In his speech, NBR Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan said, we are using customs as a tool for trade facilitation. Although revenue collection has decreased, the importance of our customs has not decreased. The main purpose of customs is not revenue collection. Customs duties and restrictions are imposed to protect domestic industries and ensure the security of the country.
Stating that about 1.2 million taxpayers have filed their returns online, he said, “We hope that this number will be 1.4 million.” The last day to file income tax returns is January 31. Even then, returns can be filed online, but some penalties will be added. The NBR chairman also said that businessmen hide transactions to evade VAT and taxes.
16 officials receive certificates of merit from customs
In recognition of their special contribution in the workplace, 16 officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) have been awarded certificates of merit. The awards were presented to these officials at the ceremony.
The 16 officials of the NBR who received the awards are: Customs Bond Commissionerate Dhaka (South), its Commissioner Mohammad Lutfar Rahman, Additional Commissioner of Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate Sylhet Khandaker Nazmul Haque, Additional Commissioner of Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate Khulna Md. Bashir Ahmed, Additional Commissioner of Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate Kamalapur Customs House ICD Mohammad Shafiur Rahman, Joint Commissioner of Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (South) Hasnain Mahmud, Joint Commissioner of Chittagong Customs House Mohammad Marufur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Customs House Ms Sanjida Sharmin, Second Secretary of NBR Md. Ahsan Ullah, Deputy Commissioner of Kamalapur Customs House ICD Omar Mobin, Deputy Director of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department Parvez Al Zaman, Deputy Commissioner of Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (South) Ms Khadija Parveen Sumi, Revenue Officers Md. Mizanur Rahman Munshi, Sarwar Alam, Md. Abdullah Al Mamun and Assistant Revenue Officers Md. Shahadat Hossain and Md. Atiqul Islam.
International Customs Day is celebrated simultaneously in 186 countries that are members of the World Customs Organization (WCO), including Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been celebrating the day since 2009 when the World Customs Organization declared January 26 as Customs Day.
The main theme of this year’s Customs Day has been set as ‘Commitment, Efficiency, Security, Progress in Customs Services’.
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